Illya couldn’t remember when he’d enjoyed the simple act of eating dinner quite so much.  Of course, it
              could be the company; John seemed to delight in stealing bites of his food and pressing his own dinner on
              his partner. He also seemed to enjoy nibbling on said partner; why had he allowed himself to be pulled into
              the man’s lap?  He leaned back into a warm embrace; oh, yes, that was why.

              For his own part, John was thoroughly enjoying a lapful of soft, warm Ilya. He’d missed his little snowflake
              far more than he thought he would.  They’d finished their meal and were now relaxing with the last of the
              wine.  He took a sip as he pondered the question Ilya had just asked.

              “Why are you in New York?”

              “I had some co-operative farms in New Jersey I needed to check on; not highly profitable but something I
              enjoy having.  Part of one of the farms is an ongoing program I established some years ago: bringing
              troubled youth out of the inner city and into a less stressful environment.  Giving them a chance to work
              toward a visible goal; they reap the profits from the ground they work.”  He paused to drink another sip of
              wine.  “While I was here I decided to check my New York properties and visit Alex.  I asked him how you
              were doing and he told me you’d just returned from your first job in the field, so I ended up here.”

              “I thought you were going to let me fly without a backward glance,” he said.

              “I did,” John replied, “and after a false start or two, you ended up soaring.  You faced your demons and
              defeated them.”  He set down his empty wine glass and stood, setting Ilya gently down on his feet.  “We’ve
              finished dinner and the wine.  What do you want to do now?”

              “Take you to bed and make love all night,” came the reply.  He took him by the hand and led him to the
              bedroom.  Once there, he slowly undressed him and they lay down naked together, exploring and
              reacquainting themselves with each other.  After pleasuring each other with their mouths, John started to
              reach for the lubricant he’d brought, only to be stopped by Ilya. “I’m – not sure I can do that.  I freeze
              whenever anyone tries.”  He turned away, shamed by having to admit he wasn’t completely whole.  Tears
              leaked from his eyes as he whispered, “I want you inside me so much it’s like an ache inside, but I’m so
              afraid I won’t be able to let you in.”

              They decided to make the attempt.  John carefully and gently prepared him, causing him to climax by
              stroking his prostate and penis to relax him completely before trying to penetrate him, to no avail.  Fingers
              and tongue were fine; cocks, no matter how gently brushed against his anus, caused him to clench
              tightly.  Ilya was sobbing and begging him to just force himself in, please, PLEASE, he could take that pain
              easier than what he was suffering now.  It might even make him relax if the first barrier was broken.  The
              very idea of deliberately causing pain was enough to nearly unman his partner.

              “I have an idea,” he said.  Using his fingers and a gentle application of the Force, he held Ilya’s anus open
              long enough to slide his penis inside him without forcing it.  He then withdrew fingers and Force and let it
              clamp shut.  It was so tight it was almost painful, and he held them both completely still until his lover
              relaxed.  “Better?”

              “Oh, yes,” Ilya sighed.  “Love me, please love me,” he moaned, moving against him.  It was all the
              encouragement he needed as he began to thrust inside his lover.  It was over fairly quickly, but the night had
              just begun. They spent it together, taking turns cuddling and loving each other, John inside Ilya, Ilya inside
              John, or using mouths or hands to pleasure each other, finally falling into exhausted slumber in a tangle of
              limbs.

              They were awakened the next morning by the phone ringing.  Ilya finally disentangled himself enough to
              answer it.  “Hello?” he murmured sleepily.

              “Good morning,” Napoleon said over the line.  “Insomnia again?”

              “No,” he replied, “just a visitor who kept me up all night.”  'In several senses of the word.'  He grinned at
              his double entendre.

              “You should have sent them away,” he admonished.

              “Who’s on the phone?” John whispered into his unoccupied ear before running his tongue over it.

              'Stop that', he mouthed as he spoke into the phone.  “Napoleon, it’s John, and he’s still here.”  He gasped as
              his lover found something else to play with.

              “I can tell you’re busy,” his caller said, “so I’ll let you go for now.  I just wanted to tell you Mr. Waverly
              wants us to take the next two days off. Call me when you’re free.”

              After an exchange of good-byes Ilya hung up the phone.  “I have the next two days off.  What do you want
              for breakfast,” he asked, “besides me?”

              After agreeing to go out for breakfast, they showered together, which turned into a mutual masturbation
              session.  They seemed unable to keep their hands off each other, but managed to restrain themselves in
              public.  As they were eating, Ilya brought up the subject of how much time they’d have to spend together.

              “I’ll probably have a new assignment when I return to work.  It will undoubtedly take me out of the city;
              most of my assignments do.  How will I find you if you’re not here when I return?”

              “Don’t worry about it,” John said, wiping up a last bit of egg with a scrap of toast.  He popped the toast and
              egg into his mouth, chewed and swallowed before continuing.  “I’ll be in New York through the summer at
              least.”  He wiped his mouth with his napkin and took a sip of tea.  “In fact, I’ll be spending a great deal of
              time here for the next several years to come.”  He leaned close to Ilya and whispered, “I’ve just been
              placed in charge of Earth operations by the Jedi Council. I think it’s their way of getting rid of me.”  He
              drew back slightly to wink.  “Such postings are usually lifetime appointments; I thoroughly intend to see this
              one is.”

              “You’ll be staying?” Ilya gasped as his words sunk in.  He threw his arms around his companion and would
              have kissed him, but John held him back.

              “We’re in public,” he admonished, “but you can celebrate later.  I certainly intend on doing so.  What did
              you have planned for the day?”

              They spent the day shopping: first for groceries for Ilya’s apartment, then just window shopping for
              souvenirs.  They visited art galleries and a museum, and John invited him to his house on Long Island for
              the night. Ilya recognized it as they pulled into the drive.

              “I thought this was an UNCLE safe house,” he said.

              “Oh, it was,” replied John, “is, and will continue to be in the future. Most of the safe houses UNCLE uses
              worldwide are owned by one or another of my companies.  Alex agreed to let me use this one while I’m in
              New York.  I rather like it; the staff are all retired or disabled agents.  It’s fully furnished, including the lab
              in the basement, so if you get bored with me you can work on whatever you can think up down there.  You
              might even get assigned here if you’re guarding someone important.”

              By this time they’d left the car and entered the house.  Once through the door John wasted no time, wrapping
              Ilya in his arms and giving him a long, passionate, breath-stealing kiss.  “You can even move in here; now,
              or when you turn 40 and retire from the field.”  They ran upstairs to the master bedroom to make love and
              freshen up before dinner.

              After dinner they sat in front of the fire in the study, watching the flames and talking.

              “As much as I love you,” admitted Ilya, “I think I’ll keep the apartment in the city.  Commuting every
              morning doesn’t appeal to me that much.”

              “You’ll always be welcome here, my snowflake, even if it’s just for an
              hour,” John murmured into his hair.

              “Why do still call me that?” he asked.  “Please don’t tell me you still think I’m fragile or ephemeral or
              something.”

              “My love,” the older man answered, making his beloved shiver to hear those words, “I never considered
              you fragile; look what you survived before I found you!  You’re my snowflake because like a snowflake
              you’re both beautiful and unique.  I love you.  You healed my broken heart and made me whole.”  He pulled
              him close and kissed him, then stood, pulling him to his feet as well.  They walked arms around each other
              to their bedroom, to spend the night making love.

              FINIS